Good Books » Warlord http://goodpfbooks.com Reviews of good books related to Small Business, Personal Finance and Self Improvement Mon, 05 Dec 2011 00:23:19 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2 The Burning Land: A Novel http://goodpfbooks.com/the-burning-land-a-novel/ http://goodpfbooks.com/the-burning-land-a-novel/#comments Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:04:00 +0000 admin

Copyright © 2009 Good Books

The Burning Land: A Novel

]]> The Burning Land: A Novel

The Burning Land: A Novel

In a clash of heroes, the kingdom is born. At the end of the ninth century, King Alfred of Wessex is in ill health; his heir, an untested youth. His enemy, the Danes, having failed to conquer Wessex, now see their chance for victory. Led by the sword of savage warrior Harald Bloodhair, the Viking hordes attack. But Uhtred, Alfred’s reluctant warlord, proves his worth, outwitting Harald and handing the Vikings one of their greatest defeats. For Uhtred, the sweetness of victory is soon overshadowed by tragedy. Breaking with Alfred, he joins the Vikings, swearing never again to serve the Saxon king. Instead, he will reclaim his ancestral fortress on the Northumbrian coast. Allied with his old friend Ragnar—and his old foe Haesten—he aims to invade and conquer Wessex itself. Yet fate has different plans. The Danes of East Anglia and the Vikings of Northumbria are plotting the conquest of all Britain. When Alfred’s daughter pleads with Uhtred for help, he cannot refuse her request. In a desperate gamble, he takes command of a demoralized Mercian army, leading them in an unforgettable battle on a blood-soaked field beside the Thames. In The Burning Land, Bernard Cornwell, “the reigning king of historical fiction” (USA Today), delivers a rousing saga of Anglo-Saxon England—an irresistible new chapter in his thrilling Saxon Tales, the epic story of the birth of England and the legendary king who made it possible.

The Burning Land: A Novel

  • Published on: 2010-01-01
  • Released on: 2010-01-19
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Hardcover
  • 352 pages

Customer Reviews:
Another Cornwell Masterpiece5
Another first rate novel by Bernard Cornwell continuing the story of Uhtred in the Saxon Tales. As in the previous novels in this series, Cornwell recreates a time and society in a masterly manner. Against the background of plot and intrigue, this fast paced tale holds the reader’s attention until the last page. Cornwell’s scholarship and research is evident, and contributes mightily to the success of the book. While the relationships between the Saxons and Danes, Christian and Pagans have considerable complexity and nuance, Cornwell shows his ability to ensure this adds to the read’s enjoyment and in no way interferes with the pace of the story or it unfolding. Another brillant addition to Mr. Cornwell’s impressive list of books. Purchased prior its US release on Amazon UK and well worth the shipping fees.

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Copyright © 2009 Good Books

The Burning Land: A Novel

]]> http://goodpfbooks.com/the-burning-land-a-novel/feed/ 0 The Pale Horseman by Bernard Cornwell http://goodpfbooks.com/the-pale-horseman-by-bernard-cornwell/ http://goodpfbooks.com/the-pale-horseman-by-bernard-cornwell/#comments Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:00:00 +0000 admin The Pale Horseman by Bernard Cornwell
HarperCollins, January 2006
ISBN 0-06-078712-0
Hardcover

Travel back to the western territories of Saxon England in the late 9th century. This is the world of the legendary King Alfred the Great, the uncommonly pious Christian monarch who wages battles against the invading pagan Danes in hopes of solidifying his sovereignty over a besieged and divided England.

This is also the world of the brash young warrior and nobleman Uhtred of Bebbanburg. An orphaned son of a Northumbrian lord but raised by the Danish warlord Ragnar the Fearless, Uhtred is a fearless and impulsive twenty year old for whom “Life is simple. Ale, women, sword, and reputation. Nothing else matters!”

The simplicity of Uhtred’s life, however, is suddenly in jeopardy. He has killed one of the most notorious enemies of Alfred, the great Ubba Lothbrokson, and—of course—this heroic deed should have won considerable prestige and honor for Uhtred. But another warrior has claimed credit for dispatching Ubba to the dark underworld of the pagan Danes, and Uhtred—proud and boastful—commits an unlawful faux pas in the presence of King Alfred. When then forced to submit to a humiliating ordeal as a penance for his transgression, Uhtred becomes bitterly resentful and angry. Thereupon, he steals a small ship from the king’s tiny but strategically critical fleet and embarks an adventure of plundering, piracy, and lawlessness in defiance of King Alfred.

Soon, though, Uhtred’s life becomes gloriously complicated: He meets Asser the duplicitous cleric who will profoundly affect Uhtred’s future, and he becomes enamored with the fiercely beautiful Iseult, a regal woman who is able to see into the future; but most significantly, Uhtred—a man who loyalties have for a long time been dangerously divided—discovers that he will have good reasons to give his considerable support as a warrior and friend to the increasingly imperiled Alfred.

The Pale Horseman, another in a long line of superb historical novels from the prolific Bernard Cornwell, is an entertaining story focusing on the conflicts between selfishness and unselfish commit to causes. Uhtred’s splendidly vivid tale is filled with wonderful details of the cultural, social, religious, and political dynamics of 9th century Britain—savage in its brutality and luminous in its optimism.

Copyright © 2009 Good Books

The Pale Horseman by Bernard Cornwell

]]> The Pale Horseman by Bernard Cornwell
HarperCollins, January 2006
ISBN 0-06-078712-0
Hardcover

Travel back to the western territories of Saxon England in the late 9th century. This is the world of the legendary King Alfred the Great, the uncommonly pious Christian monarch who wages battles against the invading pagan Danes in hopes of solidifying his sovereignty over a besieged and divided England.

This is also the world of the brash young warrior and nobleman Uhtred of Bebbanburg. An orphaned son of a Northumbrian lord but raised by the Danish warlord Ragnar the Fearless, Uhtred is a fearless and impulsive twenty year old for whom “Life is simple. Ale, women, sword, and reputation. Nothing else matters!”

The simplicity of Uhtred’s life, however, is suddenly in jeopardy. He has killed one of the most notorious enemies of Alfred, the great Ubba Lothbrokson, and—of course—this heroic deed should have won considerable prestige and honor for Uhtred. But another warrior has claimed credit for dispatching Ubba to the dark underworld of the pagan Danes, and Uhtred—proud and boastful—commits an unlawful faux pas in the presence of King Alfred. When then forced to submit to a humiliating ordeal as a penance for his transgression, Uhtred becomes bitterly resentful and angry. Thereupon, he steals a small ship from the king’s tiny but strategically critical fleet and embarks an adventure of plundering, piracy, and lawlessness in defiance of King Alfred.

Soon, though, Uhtred’s life becomes gloriously complicated: He meets Asser the duplicitous cleric who will profoundly affect Uhtred’s future, and he becomes enamored with the fiercely beautiful Iseult, a regal woman who is able to see into the future; but most significantly, Uhtred—a man who loyalties have for a long time been dangerously divided—discovers that he will have good reasons to give his considerable support as a warrior and friend to the increasingly imperiled Alfred.

The Pale Horseman, another in a long line of superb historical novels from the prolific Bernard Cornwell, is an entertaining story focusing on the conflicts between selfishness and unselfish commit to causes. Uhtred’s splendidly vivid tale is filled with wonderful details of the cultural, social, religious, and political dynamics of 9th century Britain—savage in its brutality and luminous in its optimism.

Copyright © 2009 Good Books

The Pale Horseman by Bernard Cornwell

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